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Early Aviation
Discuss World War I and the early years of aviation thru 1934.
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REVIEW
Hansa – Brandenburg W.29
JackFlash
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Posted: Wednesday, April 27, 2011 - 12:09 AM UTC

When cracking open the box it is evident that you are faced with another fine kit from Wingnut Wings. Allegedly designed by Ernst Heinkel one night on the back of a cabaret wine list, the Hansa-Brandenburg W.29 was essentially an earlier Hansa-Brandenburg biplane W.12 design with the top wing removed. Lets see what you get.

Link to Item

If you have comments or questions please post them here.

Thanks!
CaptnTommy
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Connecticut, United States
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Posted: Wednesday, April 27, 2011 - 04:26 AM UTC
I can identify all the items for the kit, BUT ... What is that Coffee Can located on the right side of the cockpit cowel just forward of the windscreen?

This is driving me a bit crazy because the fitting is on all pictures but not the can. Is it a Filter? What is it attached to under the Cowl? Is it a breather cap or something to do with the radio?

I hate putting something onan aircraft that I cannot explain.

Help
Captn Tommy
bill_c
Staff MemberCampaigns Administrator
MODEL SHIPWRIGHTS
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New Jersey, United States
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Posted: Wednesday, April 27, 2011 - 07:53 AM UTC
Damn, Stephen, I had just vowed NOT to buy this kit....

Nice review and build.
JackFlash
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Posted: Wednesday, April 27, 2011 - 09:30 AM UTC

Quoted Text

I can identify all the items for the kit, BUT ... What is that Coffee Can located on the right side of the cockpit cowel just forward of the windscreen?

This is driving me a bit crazy because the fitting is on all pictures but not the can. Is it a Filter? What is it attached to under the Cowl? Is it a breather cap or something to do with the radio? I hate putting something on an aircraft that I cannot explain.
Help
Captn Tommy


" Page 9 step 7 . . .The breather filter and pipe unit (PP A 4) was positioned at on the top forward deck because the engine sat so close to the water when the aircraft took off or landed. Otherwise the carburetors could easily be swamped by choppy waters or heavy swells. . ."
OEFFAG_153
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Västra Götaland, Sweden
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Posted: Wednesday, April 27, 2011 - 10:01 PM UTC
Great review Stephen – and the kit is certainly worth the high score in my opinion too!

Mikael
JackFlash
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Posted: Thursday, April 28, 2011 - 07:49 PM UTC
Greetings all,

I had an e-mail from Dave Watts on the issue of armament. He sent me some information that clarified just exactly what was used on the Brandenburg and has some more insight on the Naval Spandau configurations I will post when he sends the follow up e-mail.

". . .The Naval 7.92mm Spandau Maxims (PP D 17 X 2 or PP 20 X 2 & P 1 & 2 X 2) were beefier in appearance than the Luftstreitkräfte standard 7.92mm. Typically they were to use the ammunirtion needed for specific targets. The C3MG had the two forward firing guns one was to carry tracers & ball rounds in one. In the other gun armour piercing rounds. The 13mm Spandau was designed to penetrate a ship’s upper plating and soft skinned armoured land targets but came too late in developement to be operational. . ."

Also! One of the references I neglected to add was from Cross & Cockade USA Vol. 20 #2 Pp.107 - 135. 1979. This is a fine piece on a German Naval pilot and his service. The story of the destruction of the British Submarine C 25 is detailed.
JackFlash
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Posted: Thursday, April 28, 2011 - 08:56 PM UTC
Here is a bit more on the gun's history.

". . . The later model of (lower case "L") lMG 08 air-cooled machine gun had the slotting omitted at the extreme ends of the cooling jacket's cylindrical member, with a 13 cm wide area of solid sheet metal at the breech end, and a 5 cm wide solid area at the muzzle end, giving the resultant gun much more rigidity. The lMG 08 retained unchanged the rectangular rear receiver and breech assembly of the water cooled MG 08 infantry weapon, which would be "stepped down" at its upper rear and lower forward corners as the more developed and lighter weight LMG 08/15 version,. . "

JackFlash
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Posted: Wednesday, May 04, 2011 - 02:18 AM UTC
Greetings all,

Just a note from the Production Manager at WIngnut Wings, Mr. Richard Alexander! (No where else but Aeroscale folks!)


Quoted Text

". . . One other point, which I forgot to mention earlier, is that you say that 'The steering wheel itself could do with a wrap of fine wire between the four arms on the outer perimeter. . .' It should be noted that wartime steering wheels were almost never wrapped this way. It appears to be another example of a museum/modern restoration detail being taken too literally and applied to models. Of course there is nothing wrong with customizing your model like this (and it does look neat) but it would be incorrect to suggest that this detail was missing from our WWI era model and that it should be added.

It's probably not as wrong as using some of the highly detailed turned/milled LMG 08/15 Spandau barrels available out there on the W.29 (like some have done). Of course they look cool, but do 'inaccurize' the model somewhat. . ."


The machine guns on the H-B W.29 are infact (as mentioned in the previous post) examples of the IMG 05 Spandau (the "L" is lower case) with the classic flat topped breech. (Seen on most 1914 - 1916 German machines). The sea coast German Navy did not seem to use the later 08/15 LMG Spandau as did the land based Marine Feld Jastas.
OEFFAG_153
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Posted: Wednesday, May 04, 2011 - 03:52 AM UTC
Oh drat – I wrapped my steering wheel – but like Richard notes – it does ad a bit of neatness, and it was fun to do I will retain the kits IMG 05 Spandau though...

Thanks for posting this info Stephen

Mikael
warreni
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South Australia, Australia
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Posted: Sunday, June 19, 2011 - 10:26 PM UTC
Well done Stephen. Good review.

I am building my WNW kits in the order they were releaed so the W.29 is a way off yet as I have just started the Albatross D.Va, which I will add to the KotS Campaign tomorrow. That makes six kits if I can finish the SPAD and Albie.

Cheers
Warren
CaptnTommy
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Posted: Monday, June 20, 2011 - 09:18 AM UTC
Jackflash:

Thank you for the answer. Now I can properly plumb my W29 even if it is never seen.

Smart Idea, how did you find this out? None of my documents mentions this (or I just couldn't find it. I have a "few" books and clippings of the era, but not that much on the B-H technical data.

Thanks for the info
Captn Tommy
warreni
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Posted: Sunday, October 23, 2011 - 01:41 PM UTC
I finally started the W.29 yesterday..
JackFlash
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Colorado, United States
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Posted: Friday, June 01, 2012 - 02:10 AM UTC
Tough news for HB W.29 fans.

"Thank you for your enquiry about the availability of 32010
Hansa-Brandenburg W.29.

This model is now sold out and no longer available to order. Currently
we do not have plans to reissue this model but at some time in the
future we will release a Special Edition version.

The Special Edition will include additional decal schemes, resin figures
and nearly 200 photo-etch detail parts. We do not have a release date
set for the Special Edition at this time.

Regards

Dave Johnson
Warehouse Operations Manager
Wingnut Wings
PO Box 15-319, Miramar 6022,
Wellington , New Zealand"


OEFFAG_153
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Västra Götaland, Sweden
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Posted: Friday, June 01, 2012 - 08:58 AM UTC
Oh, I can see the Hansa turning into hard currency on e-bay in future...
Kornbeef
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England - South East, United Kingdom
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Posted: Friday, June 01, 2012 - 10:53 AM UTC
Yes sure, at WNW's rate of release it may be some time before it reappears. STILL SO MANY OTHER GEMS TO BUILD FROM THEM WE MUSNT GRUMBLE.
OEFFAG_153
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Posted: Saturday, June 02, 2012 - 02:06 AM UTC
I think the Hansa has sold to many non-regular WWI builders, that would otherwise be a bit apprehensive about rigging and upper wings... thus selling out (very) quickly. Wonder if this means there will be other monoplanes sans rigging in future from WNW - like the Junkers DI? I would love one of those in 1:32 myself.

Mikael
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